The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-12-15
Lth CONGRESS--.FIRST SESSION.
SENATE,

WASHINGTON, Nov. a.
The committee on privileges and elections
presented to the Senate this morning unan-
imous report on the West Virginia case, de-
claring that Charles j. Faulkner wss duly
elected Senator.
The Senate took up the bill introduced by
Mr.. Morrill, to regulate immigration and was
addressed by that Senator in explanation.
Senator Morrill, said that the main object
of the bill was to have the character of for
eign immigrants examined first by United
States consuls at the ports of departure, in
stead Of State Commissioners at the ports Of
arrival The foreign idea was, he said, that
the United States invited free immigration
regardless of the character Of the immi-
grants, but the American idea was that 1t
never really offered an asylum to conyicts,
to irreconcilable enemies of law and order,
or to the occupants of the old worlds in
sane asylums and warehouses; The doors
were left open only to persons OF good moral
character. The fact that nearly flye million
immigrants had come to this country within
the last ten years proved tnat .ne question lion
great American principle OF free admission
of immigrants was not proposed to be aban-
doned, but that principle had always been
on the condition that the immigrants should
be of good moral character ana should be
the fact that recently the mayor of the
Athens of America had presided at ban
quet given in honor of the champion slugger
of the prize ring, and that If not the will,
at least the political necessities of the mayor
had consented to that. He said that 20 per
cent of the population of Boston was COM
posed of persons of foreign birth and for
eign parentage, so per cent OF the popula-
tion of New York, 81 per cent. OF the popu-
lation of Chicago, ana tnese ngures might
be aggravated by future immigration. BY
the census of 1880 the population Of foreign
birth and parentage was about $4,000, 600.
and the immigration since then ,434 200, SO
that without Including the children born Of
for eign parents since 1880 there was now in
this country foreign population of $780,
600. or nearly one-third of the entire popula-
ton. This disclosed the enormous attract
i've force exerted by this country on the in
habitants of Europe. lie had lately visited
Castle Garden, in the port OF New York,
where vessel had just arrived from Ant
werp, with 600 immigrants, and the sight he
had witnessed suggested the doubt whether
this country possessed tine transcendent
power to transform all those Immigrants in
to good and valuable citizens.
Senator Morrill, quoted the reply of Mr..
Balfour, to question in the House of Com
mons as to the government aiding emigra-
tion, to the effect that the government would
apply no more money to that purpose during
the remainder of the year. Mr.. Balfour had
not said that parishes or neighbors should
not aid immigration. At the end of the
year immigration might be aided by the gov
ernment again unless the fishery. commits
sloners should implore Mr.. Balf0ur to re-
frain from putting briars in their path,
while their cunning diplomacy. was going ON
here. The paupers OF Great Britain num-
bered very nearly round million, outside